1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital still camera, a reproduction device, and an image processor. In detail, the present invention relates to a digital still camera for performing autobracket photographing, a reproduction device for reproducing images photographed by the digital still camera, and an image processor for performing image processing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In silver-salt cameras, autobracket photographing is employed that performs photographing while altering an exposure amount. Conventionally, the following has been well known as this kind of image processor. First, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-218077 discloses that image processing is repeatedly carried out under different conditions in response to one input data, to generate image data.
This image processor permits the image processing under the different image processing conditions for one exposure data to generate a plurality of image data. The generated image data, however, are stored in individual image files, so that the image data cannot be distinguished from each other when reproducing.
Next, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-203934 discloses a digital camera that permits photographing under different conditions by only one operation to generate image data. This digital camera performs the photographing depending on the different conditions by the only operation to generate a plurality of image data.
The generated image data, however, are stored in individual image files, so that the image data cannot be distinguished from each other when reproducing. In this patent publication, the invention teaches autobracket photographing that is designed to perform photographing while altering photographic conditions other than the exposure amount.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-140025 discloses a digital camera that attaches information regarding image synthesis to a plurality of photographed images and which conduct the image synthesis utilizing the information. Although the information is attached to the plurality of photographed images, this information is used only to carry out the image synthesis.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-59725 discloses a digital camera that records not only images but also information indicating that an entire image of a subject relates to a plurality of divided partial images stored in a minute manner. In this camera, data indicative of a relationship between the entire image of the subject and the plurality of images each partially photographed in a highly detailed manner is stored together with image data, thereby displaying the highly detailed data when displaying partial details.
A reproduction device for providing printouts and the like frequently performs automatic image correction that changes images to other images that are judged appropriate by the reproduction device itself. For example, when generating one set of photographed image data by performing image processing while altering contrasts utilizing autobracket photographing mode of the digital still camera, as a result the photographed image data in the one set slightly differ from each other in brightness.
However, when the reproduction device corrects the images into the other images judged right by the device upon reading and reproducing the one set of the photographed image data, although each data in the one set of the photographed image data has different brightness intentionally altered, the photographed image data may possibly be corrected and reproduced so as to show the same brightness.
Further, in the conventional arts, in cases where photographing is carried out in the autobracket photographing mode, the relationship between one image data and the other is not shown. The above-mentioned arts essentially have an object to provide the option to select the nearest image data to a photographed result as a photographer intends from among a plurality of image data after photographing. Thus, the relationship between the photographed image data in one set that are photographed in the autobracket photographing mode must be obviously shown.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-218077 discloses that image data obtained by one time exposure is subjected to image processing under different processing conditions, thereby allowing a photographer to photograph images to meet his/her intention. However, in the art, if the same subject is continuously and repeatedly photographed in the similar condition or in the different condition, it is not understood which image data relates to the other. The above-mentioned art essentially has an object to provide a photographer with the option to select the nearest image data to a photographed result as he/she intends from among a plurality of image data after photographing. Thus, the relationship between the image data in one set photographed in the same mode must be obviously shown.